Positive draft key lock



Sept. 21,1926. 1,600,844 T. M. PRICE POSITIVE DRAFT KEY LOCK Filed Dec. 4, 1925 gvwwntom J fiomasll fnz'ce of Figure 3, and I Figure 6 is va view similar to Figure .5

Patented Sept. 21, 1926.

* uuirso s 'r' THOM S PRICE, or RALEIGH, NORTH'CAROLINA.

This invention relates to means for retain-- tend horizontally through registering openings in the coupler and yokefare retained in 1 position :by a cotter pin or the like. Such retaining means for the key has been found to be entirely inadequate, however, for the reason that the key will gradually work over to one side so as to bring the cotter pin into frictional contact with'the edges of the openings, thereby permittingthe, pin to be worn away with a consequent disengagement of the key and disconnection of the coupler from the yoke or link. It is therefore an object of the present invention to overcome the foregoing di'fiiculties by providing a draft key lock or clamp which may be readily attached to or removed from the key and which will in no way be affected by frictional contact with the edges of the openings in the coupler or yoke;

Other objects and'advanta'ges of the invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

V Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a coupler and yoke with my improved key lock in place thereon.

Figure 2 is a section taken on line 22 of Figure 1. I

Figure 3 is a section taken of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the key with the lock or clamp shown in position ready to be attached thereto.

on line Figure 5 is a section takenon line 55 and showing the look partly disconnected.

Referring to the drawings more in detail v pos tion, which may be readlly applied and thenumeral 1 indicates a portion of the draft yoke or rigging of conventional type and 2 the coupler which is ordinarily connected thereto by means of a. horizontally slidable key somewhat similar to that shown in Figure 1 and in which a cotter pin is employed as the retaining means.

In the present embodiment of the invention the numeral 3 designates the horizontally slidable key which is provided on one end with an abutment 4 adapted to engage be described.

I rosrTIvEpRAFrKE LOCK.

Application filedpecember 1, 1925. Serial No. 73,253.

one side of the yoke 1 when theikeyis passed through the registering openings 5 and 6 of tieyoke and coupler respectively.

' The structure, just described is all well known in the art and I will now describe the novel modifications thereof, through the medium of which thedifiiculties hereinbeforei referredto may be overcome.

' The free en'd'of the key 3, that is, the end opposite the abutment l is provided with "opposed notches 7 on itslo'ngitudinal edges,

the bases of these notches being beveled oil in the manner shown inf Figures 5 and G for the purpose offallowing a necessary mo vement of the lock orclamp which will now The lock, which may be a casting or the like, is substantially U-shaped in cross section and comprises a base portion 8 and downwardly projecting legs 9 and" 10. These legs are adapted to be positioned in the notches 7 of the'key while the base orbooy portion Sis adapted to be flat against the keyas shownzin Figures 3 and 5. In order to prevent the locking element from becoming accidentally disengaged from the key 3 one of the legs 10 is provided with. a

lug 11 which is adapted to engagetthe underside of thekey; andit is because of this lug 11 that it becomes'necessaryto first place the leg 10 in its notch7 and then rock the lock in the manner shown in Figure 6 to the position shown in Figure 5.

An additional means for securing the lock in position is provided in the bolt 12 which may be passed through the registering openings l3 and 14 of the lock and key respectively. Obviously, a cotter pin or the like may be substituted for the bolt 12 if desired.

From the foregoing description taken in connection-with the accompanying drawings it will be apparent that I have disclosed a lock for draft keys which cannot become accidentally displaced from its operative detached, and which will resist "the wear and tear to which it is subjected.

In accordance with thepatent statutes I have described what I now believe to be the best embodiment of the invention,'butit will be understood that the mechanism depicted on the drawings is illustrative merely and] not be taken in any limiting sense except in so 'far' as these limitations may be set forth in the following claims.

Having fully described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a. device of the class "described, the combination with an elongated flat key having opposed notches in its longitudinal edges,

of a U-shaped locking element adapted to be operatively associated with I said key with its legs positioned in said notches, and integral means for securing said lockingelement in place. 7 2. In a deviceof the class described, the

combination with an elongated fiat key-hav- "ing opposed notches 'in its longitudinal said key.

edges, of a V U-shaped locking element '1 adapted to be operatively associated with said key with its legs positioned in said notches, and a'l'ug formed on one of said adapted to be operatively associated with said "key with its legs positionedrin said e ge notches, a lug formed on one of said legs at a distance from the base thereof substantially equal to the thickness of said key, the bases of said notches being beveled, whereby the leg carrying the lug may be first placed in its notch and the locking element then rocked so as to position the other leg thereof in its notch. a

'4. Ina device of the class described, the combination with an elongated flat key having opposed notches in its longitudinal of a U-shaped locking element adapted to be operatively associated with said key with its legs positioned in said notches, a lug formed on one of said legs:

at a distance from the base thereof substantially equal to the thickness of said key, the bases of said notches .being'beveled, whereby the leg carrying the lug may be first placed in its notch and the locking-r element then rocked so as to position the other leg thereofin its notch, and, means for directly securing the base of said looking element to said key.

THOMAS M. Pinon. V 

